DETROIT (Audacy) — A common respiratory medicine used to treat asthma and kids with RSV is in short supply after one of the nation's top manufacturers abruptly shut down operations and closed its factories.
Albuterol -- which is used to relieve coughing, wheezing and trouble breathing by increasing the flow of air through the lungs -- has been on the Food and Drug Administration's shortage list since October. Right now, there is a shortage of the liquid form. The rescue inhalers used by millions of people with asthma are not as seriously affected.
The shortage is expected to get even worse following the shutdown of operations at Akorn Pharmaceuticals, which closed manufacturing facilities in Illinois, New Jersey and New York at the end of February and terminated all employees.
Akorn's Illinois facility was licensed to make liquid albuterol, used by hospitals for nebulizers, which turn the medicine into mist to be inhaled, The Washington Post reported. The shutdown leaves just one remaining domestic supplier of liquid albuterol, The Post added.
Dr. Eric Sztejman, vice president of clinical operations at Virtua Health in South Jersey, says hospitals are already trying to figure out how to get by.
“We typically use the liquid form for individuals that come into the emergency room with asthma exacerbation or COPD exacerbations,” Sztejman said.
"One of our concerns is some patients use the liquid albuterol at home, and I am concerned that they are not going to be able to get that medication. Patients with arthritis or don’t have the capability of using the inhalers are often switched to the liquid form at home.”
Another serious concern, said Sztejman, is with people on Medicare who use liquid albuterol, "because Medicare will pay for the liquid, but right now they are not paying for the pump inhaler."
Anyone who relies on the liquid form is encouraged to lean more heavily on the inhalers if possible, and if not talk to your doctor about suitable alternatives.
"This is definitely concerning, especially as we are coming out of the respiratory season where we had a big demand with RSV, COVID-19 and flu, and are now heading into spring allergy season when a lot of kids and adults experience asthma symptoms," Dr. Juanita Mora, a national volunteer medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association, told CNN. "This is a life-saving drug and being able to breathe is vital for everyone."
Akorn hasn't publicly commented on the situation. However, WAND-TV obtained leaked video of a virtual conference call to employees, during which President and CEO Douglas Boothe blamed the company's financial troubles.
"The company did not receive an appropriate bid that would address outstanding liabilities, including outstanding debt. The company owners just informed us they will not provide the additional financing required to continue to run the business and search for alternative options," Boothe said. "Their decision leaves us the board and ownership and management team with no other alternatives then to conclude the sales process and to initiate bankruptcy proceedings. This was not expected."
The FDA is currently assessing how the Akorn closures may affect drug supply chains nationwide, CBS News reported.
The other domestic supplier of liquid albuterol, South Carolina-based Nephron Pharmaceuticals, has ramped up its production in the meantime.
"We are currently producing Albuterol 0.5 as fast as possible to deliver to the market — and to patients — to address this shortage," CEO Lou Kennedy told The Post.
A recent study shows albuterol is among the top 10 most commonly prescribed medications in the country.
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